Buttonhole-sewing machine.



PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

D. NOBLE. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED DEO.2, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

W/TNESSES.

A T7'0fiNE Y PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

D. NOBLE. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED DIKLB. 1903.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

W/TNESSES:

M/VENTOH .JQMJL A TTOHNEY No. 771,928. PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904'. D. NOBLE.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED no.2, was.

no MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F918 i 74 '1 X6 5' 55 IN VENTOH A TTOHNE Y W/TNESSES v PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

D. NOBLE. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11120.2. 1903.

6 SHEBTBBHEET 4.

NO MODEL.

M/VENTOI? ATTORNEY W/ TN 5 SSE S .No. 771,923. I PATENTBD OCT. 11, 1904.

D. NOBLE. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

v APPLIUATION FILED DEO.2, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 1 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

H ii In o va/ w m A TTOHNEY No. 771,923. PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

' D. NOBLE.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED no.2. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

WITNESSES A TTOHNE Y IN VE N TOR UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD NOBLE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WVHEELER & WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDCEPORT, CONNECTI- OUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BUTTONHOLE-SEWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,923, dated October 11, 1904.

' Application filed December 2, 1903. Serial No. 183.532. (No model.)

To It whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DONALD NOBLE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Bridgeport,in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists of a combination of mechanisms whereby a straight buttonhole having parallel overseamed edges and straight barred ends is produced, the work being fed in a single direction to form one side of the buttonhole and then reversed or turned end for end to form the other side, so that uniformity of tension may be maintained and the purl formed evenly. There is a dwell in the feed movements provided for, so that the barring may be effected.

The invention further consists of a buttonhole-slit separator arranged to enter the slit from above the work adjacent the needle, so as to provide against accidental crossing of the slit by the stitches.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken in the plane of line A B, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken in the plane of line C D, Fig. 5, but extending up into the overhanging arm. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section or plan view taken in the plane of line E F, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 isa plan view of the cloth-feeding slide and turn-table, the upper portion of the clothelamp being broken away. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of part of the front end of the machine. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the turn- 4 table detached. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the turn-table and connected parts, taken in the plane of line G H, Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the springs for lifting the feed-bars. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the turn-table and coverplate within which the turn-table is mounted when assembled looking, respectively, at the under side of said turn-table and the upper side of said plate. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the throat-plate detached. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the throat-plate sections. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the separator-blade. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the auxiliary presser-foot. Fig. 16 is aside elevation of the plunger for raising the auxiliary presser-foot. Fig. 17 is a plan view of the carrier-block to which said auxiliary foot is secured. Fig. 18 is a sectional elevation of the separator-blade and its supports.

The improvements are herein shown applied to the well-known Wheeler & WVilson zigzag or overseaming machine, in which the needlecarrier is vibrated transversely to the feed of the material; but they are applicable to any approved form of sewing-machine provided with means for forming overseam-stitches.

1- is the usual frame or bed-plate, surmounted by the overhanging arm 2.

3 is a cover-plate secured in position on the bed-plate in any desired manner and provided with an annular recess or well 4, within which is mounted a turn-table 5, which latter is provided with depending beveled projections 6, Figs. 9 and 11, adapted to cooperate with inclined surfaces 7, formed upon a ledge 8 at the bottom of said well to raise and lower said turn-table as the feed mechanism is turned. The upper portion of the turn-table is slabbed off to form parallel ways 9 to engage the feed-slide 10, which has for this purpose undercut inside edges 11, Fig. 9, formed in an oblong opening 12. The feed-slide is held in position on the turn-table by two keeperplates 13 and 14, secured to the turn-table by screws 15.

The throat-plate is formed of two complementary sections 16 and 17 and is secured centrally upon the turn-table by means of a dowel-pin 18 and screw 19, which pass through holes made, respectively, therefor in said sections. .20 is the needle-hole in said throatplate. Certain other peculiarities of this throat-plate will be referred to later on in connection with the means for cutting the buttonhole-slit.

Upon opposite sides of the throat-plate and adjacent thereto are two feed-bars 21, secured at their respective ends to the feed-slide 10 by shouldered screws 22, which pass through holes made therefor in said bars, (see lower bar, Fig. 6.) The length of the shouldered portion of the screws 22 somewhat exceeds the thickness of the feed-bars, (see Fig. 4,) so that said feed-bars are capable of a limited vertical movement on said screws. Seated in pockets 23, formed in the turn-table 5 directly beneath said feed-bars, are springs 24, which normally raise said feed-bars. hen in such elevated position, the knurled surfaces 25 of said bars are approximately flush with the upper surface of the throat-plate; but when depressed against the resiliency of the springs 24 by the clamping mechanism in gripping the material said bars will be somewhat lower than the level of the upper surface of the throat-plate.

The keeper-plates 13 and 14 besides holding the feed-slide in position on the turn-table 5 also by their inner straight edges adjacent to the feed-bars serve as guides for said feedbars in their movements.

26 is an operating-handle, preferably formed integral with the keeper-plate 14.

27 is the cloth-clamp, secured on the end of a lifting-spring 28. made fast to the feed-slide 10 by screws 29, Fig. 9. Said clamp is provided on its under side with knurled surfaces 30, similar to the knurled surfaces 25 on the feed-bars and for a like purpose, and has an oblong opening 31, through which access is had to the material.

The operating-handle 26 is approximately U-shaped in side elevation and is provided with a slot 32 near its bend, through which passes the lifting-spring 28, which carries the clothclamp, so that the sliding movements of said clamp and the feed-slide 10, by which it is carried, will not be interfered with by said handle, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 7 and 9.

33 is a spring-actuated presser-bar mounted within the end of the overhanging arm 2 in the usual or any approved manner, and 34 is an annular presser-carrier secured rigidly on thelower end of said 1 )resser-bar. Journaled circumferentially around said presser-carrier is a ring 35, to which is rigidly secured a presser-foot 36, provided atits lower extremity with a presser-roller 37,which boars upon the upper surface of the cloth-clamp 27. Said presser-carrier 34 is undercut circun'iferentially, as shown at 38, to properly correspond with a flange 39, formed on said ring 35, so that a proper bearing is afforded to withstand the pressure exerted by the presser-bar, (see Fig. 4,) and said carrier-ring is held against displacement by a keeper-ring 40, secured to the under side of the presser-carrier by screws 41,'Figs. 1 and 2.

42 is a stud on the in wardly-extending end of the operating-handle 26, which is engaged by an L-shapcd arm 43, rigid with the ring 35. Said arm 43 is provided with a perforation 44, within which said stud projects, whereby the turn-table 5 and its connected parts are locked with the ring as regards rotary movement, while at the same time said ring and presser connections are free to be raised by lifting the presser-bar in the usual manner in order to insert and remove the material.

The feeding movements of the slide 10 are effected by a gear-wheel'45, adapted to mesh alternately with rack-bars 46 and 47, secured to the under side of said feed-slide and at opposite ends thereof by screws 48. Said gearwheel 45 projects through an opening 49 in the bed-plate 1 and is tight on a horizontal feed-shaft 50, suitably journaled beneath said bed-plate and operatively connected with the driving-shaft 51.

The operation of this portion of the machine is as follows: The feed-slide 10 is shown as at the termination of its feed movement to the right, Fig. 4. In this position the material is introduced between the knurled surfaces of the feed-bars and clamp, respectively, the latter having, been raised by lifting the presserbar in the usual way, the spring 28, by which the clamp is carried, causing the latter to followup the presser-roller 37 simultaneously with the lifting movement. Thematerial is then clamped by lowering the presserbar, the spring element of which is of a strength suflicient to overcome the action of the spring 28 and force the clamp down upon the material. The springs 24 beneath the feed-bars 21 also yield beneath this pressure, whereby the feed-bars sink below the level of the throat-plate, thus causing the material to be tightly stretched across the throat-plate. The buttonhole is now cut (as will be described later on) and the clamp and its connected parts swung around one-half of a complete turn, which is effected by the operator grasping the handle 26 and moving the same to the desired position previous to starting the stitching mechanism. At the commencement of this turning movement as the turn-table 5 starts to revolve within the well4the beveled projections 6 come against the inclines 7 and raise the turn-table and parts carried thereby. The upward movement thus obtained will serve to lift the rack-bar 46 away from the gear-wheel 45 and clear of the bed-plate. WV hen the turn-table has been moved a halfrevolution, the projections 6 will again register with the inclines 7, causing the turn-table to sink within the well 4, and thereby lowering the rack-bar 47 into engagement with the gear-wheel 45. The beveled projections 6 and inclines 7 not only serve to lift the rackbars away from the feed gear-wheel, but also act as a means to correctly position the turntable preparatory to the feeding movements of the slide, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 9 and 11. The opening 12 in the feed-slide is of suflicient length to accommodate the feed of said slide for the largest-size buttonhole likely to be required. After the buttonhole has been cut and the turn-table given a semirotation, as previously described, the machine is started and one side of the buttonhole-slit oversearned and the ends barred. At the conclusion of the overseaming of one side of the slit the machine is brought to a standstill and the clamp and tive sides of the buttonhole by the rotation of ously the turn-table. During the operation of turning the clamp around the presser-foot and ring 35, by which it is carried, rotate simultaneously with said clamp by reason of the connection between said ring and operatinghandle 26, and the pressure exerted by said foot is constantly maintained upon the material, thereby guarding against any slipping of the latter between the gripping-surfaces. The spring-actuated presser-bar 33, previreferred to, is tubular in shape and has slidably mounted therein a cutter-bar 52, the

upper end of which carries acollar 53, (see Fig. 1,) operatively connected with one end of a lever 54, while the lower end of said outter-bar has secured tlfereon a knife-carrier 55, Fig. 4, containing a knife-blade 56, having a slanting cutting edge. The lever 54 is pivoted at 57 to a bracket 58, secured on the overhanging arm 2, and is connected by a link 59 to a lever 60, pivoted at 61 to a bracket 62 beneath the bed-plate 1.

63 is a coil-spring one end of which is attached to the under side of the bed-plate, while the other is secured to the forward end of the lever 60, the function of said spring being to hold the cutter-bar, through the levers 54, 60, and link 59, in normally elevated position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

64 is a slot made in the lever 60, and 65 is a screw which passes through said slot and is tapped into the bracket 62*, whereby the movements of said lever and parts connected therewith are limited vertically to position the knife-blade 56. The forward end of the lever 60 is connected by a chain 66 to any suitable operating-treadle. (Not shown.)

In order to prevent the cutter-bar 52 from turning within the tubular presser-bar 33, the collar 53, secured on the upper end of said cutter-bar, is provided with cars 67, the flat sides of which bear against the flat side of the lever 54, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. j

The adjacent edges of the throat-plate sections 16 17 are beveled or undercut, as seen at 68 in Figs. 9 and 13, so as to afford proper surfaces with which the knife-blade 56 maycooperate in cutting the material, and 69 represents nicks made in said sections which jointly form an aperture for the point of the knife to enter, whereby the effective operation of the latter is insured and the same prevented from injuring either itself or the throat-plate. The aperture formed by the nicks 69 is of course located a proper distance from the needle-hole, which is determined by the length of the knife-blade, and consequently the size of buttonhole desired. The continued downward movement of the knife while passing through the material in cutting the buttonhole slit causes the said throatplate sections to be sprung apart a distance equal to the thickness of the knife-blade, which latter is preferably sharpened upon both sides. The throat-plate sections readily permit of this springing action of the same, they being purposely made comparatively thin at 7 O to insure such action. After the cutting has been completed the lever 60 is released, whereupon the spring 63 acts to return the cutter-bar and knife to normal elevated position.

In order to prevent skipping of stitches and to insure the proper laying of the so-called purl along the edge of the buttonhole-slit, there is providedv an auxiliary presser, and also to guard against sewing the adjacent edges of the buttonhole-slit together a separator is used. These devices will be described now.

Formed on or fixed to the presser-carrier 34 is a socket 71, within which is housed a springdepressed plunger 72. The upper end of the socket 71 is provided with a kerf 73, and fitted therein is a spline or feather 74 on the upper end of said plunger, whereby the latter is held against turning. Secured on the lower ICC end of the plunger 72 by a pinch-screw 75 is r a block 76, having a tubular extension 77,

adapted to fit loosely within the socket 7,1.

78 is an auxiliary cloth-presser pivoted at 79 to the block 76 and having a suitably-shaped foot 80, preferably open at one side, as shown I 82 is a slot made in the presser 78, and 83 is a screw which passes through said slot and is tapped in the block 7 6, whereby the swinging movements of said auxiliary presser upon the pivot 79 are limited to facilitate the lifting of said presser away from the material when the plunger 72 is raised. 84 is a spring held in place by a screw or stud 85 and bearing upon said presser to force the latter gently downward. The lower end of the presser equipped with the foot 80 projects inwardly toward the center of the throat-plate and turntable, on which the latter is carried, and is IIO adapted to rest upon the material directly over the needle-hole.

The spline 7 4 on the upper end of the plunger 72 projects outwardly over the ring 35 and has an antifriction-roller 86, which tracks upon the upper surface of said ring. 87 and 88 are cam-notches cut within the upper surface of said ring diametrically opposite each other, the function of which is to effect the raising and lowering of the plunger 72 and parts carried thereby as said ring is rotated when the cloth-clamp and feed-slide are similarly moved. Since this ring serves thus as a cam, it is herein referred to as a cam-ring.

Interposed between the auxiliary presser 78 and the carrier 76 is a separator-blade 89, pivoted upon the pivot-screw 79 of the auxiliary prcsser. The separator-blade 89 has a slot 90, similar to the slot 82 in the auxiliary presser, through which the screw 83 also passes and for a like purpose. Said separatorblade projects inwardly toward the needlehole and has a suitably-shaped point 91, adapted to project within the buttonhole-slit during the overseaming of the sides thereof, so as to prevent the latter being stitched together, as will be readily understood. This separator is also backed up by a spring 92, which serves to thrust the point thereof down into the buttonhole-slit. As the ring 35 is rotated and at the beginning of such movement the cam-notch 87 in said ring will cause the spring-depressed plunger 72 to be raised, thereby lifting both the auxiliary presser 78 and separator 89 away from the material and out of the opening 31 in the clamp 27, so as to leave the clamp unfettered in its movements and also preventing said presser and separator from trailing upon the material during such turning movement. At the conclusion of the semirotation of the clamp and ring 35 the roller 86 will drop within the cam-notch 88 at the opposite side of said ring, thus again lowering the auxiliary presser 78 and separator 89 into position upon the material. Similar movements of said auxiliary presser and separator occur upon turning the clamp, &c., to position the latter for overseaming the remaining side of the buttonhole, andv a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The movements of the feed-shaft 50 are obtained from a cam 93, tight on a short counter-shaft 9 L, suitably journaled in bearings formed in the bracket 62 beneath the bedplate. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) 95 and 96 are intermeshing spur-gears mounted, respectively, upon said counter-shaft 9 1 and the usual hook-driving shaft 97. The shaft 97 is connected in the usual or any suitable manner with the driving-shaft 51as, for instance, by quartering cranks 98 and link connections 99 like in the well-known Wheeler & Wilson zigzag-sewing machine.

100 is a clutch of any suitable or approved construction loose on the shaft 50 and adapted to cooperate with a clutch-disk 101, tight on said shaft, whereby said shaft is given an intermittent rotation. Rigid with said clutch is a lever 102, provided at its outer end with a roller 103, which tracks upon the feed-cam 93. The outward movement only of said lever in a direction away from the feed-cam 93 is effective in causing the rotation of said feedshaft 50, the inward movement, which is effected by a spring 1041, serving only to position the said lever and clutch for the succeeding feed movement, which will be greater or less according to the location of the stitchregulating screw 105 with respect to the heel end 106 of said lever. Said stitch-regulating screw 105 is tapped in a block 107, rigid on the bed-plate, and by advancing said screw against the heel end 106 of said lever the movement of the lever toward the cam will be lessened and the length of the stitch accordingly shortened, and vice versa.

The proportions of thespur-gears 95 and 96 are such that the feed-shaft 50 will be intermittently actuated at each alternate revolution of the driving-shaft 51, which is the usual feeding action in forming the buttonhole-stitch.

108 is a brake-strap secured to the bed-plate and bearing upon the periphery of the clutchdisk 101 for preventing the latter from overthrowing.

In working a buttonhole in accordance with this invention two distinct kinds of stitches are employed-namely, the stitches which overseam the sides of the buttonholeslit,herein called side stitches, and those which bar the ends thereof, which are herein referred to as bar-stitches and the mechanism for making these stitches will now be described.

109 is a reciprocating needle-bar having the usual eye-pointed needle 110, which cooperates with a loop-taker 111 of any approved eonstruction and operated in any suitable manner.

112 is an oscillatory gate pivoted Within the overhanging arm 2 between pintles 113.

11 1 is a link connection, one end of which is pivotally attached to an arm 115, extending from the gate 112, while the other end of said link is pivoted to a slide-block 116, adapted to work within an undercut groove 117, formed in a segment-lever 118, pivoted at 119 to the arm 2, said lever operatively connected with a switch-cam 120, Fig. 3, tight on the driving-shaft 51, all as in the well-known WVheeler & Wilson zigzag-sewing machine.

In order to change the amplitude of vibration of the needle-bar to effect the transition from the side stitches to the barring-stitches, there is provided means for shifting the slideblock in the segment-lever which controls the extent of lateral vibration of the needle-bar, as follows: 121 is an adjustable link, one end of which is pivotally connected to the slideblock 116, while the other end is pivoted to is attached to the lever 125.

a collar 122, loose on a rod 123, supported in position by levers 124 and 125, secured at their heel ends upon a rock-shaft 126, journaled in bearings formed in the bracket 58. 127 represents collars tight on the rod 123, which serve to position the latter laterally. Tight on the rear end of the rock-shaft 126 is a lever 128, which carries at its free end a roller 129, engaged by a cam 130, carried by a counting-disk 131, pivoted at 132 to the arm 2. The rotation of the counting-disk 131 is effected by any suitable clutch mechanism 133, actuated from. an eccentric 134, tight on the hook-driving shaft 97, by a pitman 135 in a manner similar to that shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States N 0. 656,852, dated August 28, 1900. The counting-disk 131 and operating-lever 136 cooperate with the releasing-lever 137 of the stop-motion mechanism 138 to position said releasing-lever for starting and stopping the machine in a manner similar to that described in said patent, and likewise the relative position of the upper end of the link or pitman 135 with respect to the segment-lever 139 determines the number of stitches necessary to effect a complete revolution of said disk, or, in other words, the number of stitches upon either side of the buttonhole, which, of course, may be altered at the will of the operator by simply adjusting said pitma'n to the position necessary for the desired number of stitches.

Any approved form of stop-motion mechanism equipped with a counting-disk similar in function to the one herein referred to would answer the requirements of the present invention.

The roller 129 on the end of the lever 128 is held in position against the cam 130 by a coil-spring 140, one end of which is secured to the overhanging arm 2, while the other end During the r0- tation of thecounting-disk 131 the cam 130 and spring 140 will cause the levers 128, 124, and 125 to alternately raise and lower the rod 123 and through it and the link connection 121 shift the slide-block 116 toward and away from the pivotal center of the segment-lever 118, thereby changing the amplitude of vibration of the needle-bar across the feed of the material and effecting the transition from side stitches to barring-stitches. timing of the cam 130 is such that a dwell of sufficient length is provided during which the side stitches are being made, which occurs when the slide-block 116 is nearest to the pivotal center of the segment-lever 118, suitable provision being made in said cam for effecting a dwell of proportionate length during the time for making the barring-stitches. -The width of bight or depth of side stitches is adjusted by a screw 141, tapped in an ear 142, formed on the lever 125, whereby the upward movement of said lever is controlled by contact of said screw with the arm 2. Simulta- The contour andneously with the downward movement of the rod 123 for changing from side stitches to barring-stitches the feeding movement of the material is discontinued. Formed on the rod 123 is a depending socket 143, within which slides a spring-actuated plunger 144, whose lower end is guided by a hole in the bed-plate 1. 145 is an offset formed on said plunger adjacent to the heel end 106 of the lever 102 and adapted to cooperate therewith. In order to adjust the vertical position of the plunger 144, so as to make the offset thereon meet the heel end of the lever 102 at the beginning of the downward movement of said plunger, a screw 146 is tapped in said plunger through a vertical slot 147 in the socket 143 and cooperates with a collar 148, adjustably secured around the outside of said socket, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The plunger-depressing spring 149 within the socket 143 is not of sufiicient strength to overcome the spring 104 by which the lever 102 is upheld, and therefore is incapable of forcing said lever away from the feed-cam 93; but the action of said spring when the rod 123 starts to move downward will cause the offset 145 on said plunger to follow up and drop in behind the heel end of said lever and prevent the latter from returning after being forced outwardly by the positive action of said cam. Such action also prevents the feed-lever 102 from being moved outwardly from the cam farther than the positive action of the latter will effect, thereby guarding against any increased length of feed movement at this juncture in the operation. As the rod 123 starts to move downward to effect the transition from side stitches to barring-stitches the feed will be shutoff as soon as the plunger 144 has descended sufiiciently to prevent the feed-lever 102 from returning within the field of travel of the cam 93, the offset 145 acting as a stop to prevent said lever from coming back. The force of the spring 104 will now resist any further downward movement of the plunger 144, and the latter will be brought to a standstill, whereupon the continued downward movement of the rod 123 to position the parts for the barring-stitches will compress the spring 149 within the socket 143. After the barring-stitches have been made the parts are returned to position for placing the side stitches by the springs 140 104, as will be readily understood.

Barring stitches and side stitches when properly made are entirely different in char- 'acter and appearance, and in order to obtain these dissimilar stitches a stronger tension is required upon the upper thread when making the side stitches than when making the barring-stitches. In making the side stitches with a tension upon the upper thread which greatly exceeds the tension upon the lower thread the loops of the latter are alldrawn to one side at the edge of the buttonhole-slit, with both threads interlocking at this point, the

upper thread forming practically a straight line with the interlocked loops of the under thread, which form of scam is known to the trade as a purl-stitcln but in making the barring-stitches it is necessary that the tension on both upper and under thread be more nearly equal, so that the thread-locks will be embedded within the material at either edge of the bight or width of the seam, and it is also necessary to relieve the upper thread of all tension when the presser-bar is raised to permit the removal of the material. F or these purposes a lever 150 is fastened on the forward end of the rock-shaft 126, the free end of which engages the lower arm of a bellcrank lever 151, pivoted to the inner side of the face-plate 152. The upper arm 153 of the bell-crank 151 engages a pin 151, which is in operative engagement with suitable tensiondisks 155. 156 represents a pair of spring-compressed tension-disks secured to an car 157 on said face-plate in close proximity to the upper end of the presser-bar 33, and carried by said bar is a finger 158, which depends directly beneath said disks in such position that when said bar is raised to remove the material said finger will enter between said disks and spread them apart, thereby freeing the thread of all tension. The thread on its way to the needle passes between the tension-disks 156 and then between the tension-disks 155, and when the rock-shaft 126 is moved to position the parts for the barring-stiches the lever 150 thereon will cause the bell-crank 151 to push the pin 15 1 inwardly, and thereby spread the tension-disks 155 apart and remove the tension of the same from the thread. The disks 156, however, will still continue to exert a tension upon the thread suitable for the barring-stitches until the presser-bar 33 is lifted to remove the material, whereupon said disks will be separated by the finger 158, as previously described, and all tension on the thread removed. In this connection it is to be noted that the timing of the cam 130 is such with respect to the stop-motion mechanism that the machine will be stopped while making the barring-stitches and just previous to their conclusion, so that when the machine is again started the operator will commence with two or three barring-stitches. This timing will result most favorably to the proper operation of the tension devices.

What I claim is 1. In a buttonhole-sewingmachine, a stitchforming mechanism, including a vibrating needle-bar, and means to change the amplitude of such vibration for forming respectively side stitches and barring-stitches, a cloth-feeding mechanism, means to impart a step -b vstep motion to said cloth -fecding mechanism, and a spring-depressed adjustable plunger, connected with the mechanism for changing the amplitude of vibration and interposed in the path of movement of the mechanism for imparting a step-by-step motion to the feeding mechanism, for arresting the feed movement during the formation of the barring-stitches.

2. In a buttonhole-sewing machine, stitchforming mechanism, including a needle and means to actuate it first in one and then in the other of two vertical lines, automatic means to change the amplitude of vibration of said needle to form side stitches and barring-stitches, a feed-slide, a cloth-clamp fast thereon, said feed-slide adapted to be turned end for end, and means for imparting to said slide a feeding motion in one direction only, combined with a rotatable presser-carrier, a carrier thereon bearing upon the clothclamp, and an independent spring-depressed separator applied to said presser-carrier.

3. In a buttonhole-sewing machine, stitchforming mechanism, including a needle and means to actuate it first in one and then in the other of two vertical lines, automatic means to change the amplitude of vibration of said needle to form side stitches and barring-stitches, a feed-slide, a cloth-clamp fast thereon, said feed-slide adapted to be turned end for end, and means for imparting to said slide a feeding motion in one direction only, combined with a rotatable presser-carrier, a carrier thereon bearing upon the cloth-clamp, and an auxiliary presser and an independent spring-de 'n-essed separator applied to said presser-carrier.

1. In a buttonhole-sewing machine, a springdepressed plunger, a separator-blade mounted upon said plunger above the work and normally entering the buttonhole-slit at the point where stitching is being effected, and serving to separate the adjacent sides of the slit so as to prevent stitches from overlapping both sides of the slit.

5. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a.

presser-bar, a support on said bar,and a springdepressed separator-blade depending from said support above the work.

6. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a spring-depressed plunger depending from said carrier, and a separator-blade carried by said plunger.

7. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a spring-depressed plunger depending from said carrier, and a separator-blade pivotally connected with said plunger.

8. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a spring-depressed plunger depending from said carrier, at separator-blade pivotally connected with said plunger, and a spring acting directly upon said blade to permit movement thereof upon its pivot.

9. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a spring-depressed plunger, a socket on the carrier in which said plunger is mounted and has a longitudinal play independent of the movement of the carrier, a block on the lower end of said plunger, and a separator-blade attached to said block.

10. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a spring-depressed plunger, a socket on the carrier in which said plunger is mounted and has a longitudinal play independent of the movement of the carrier, a block on the lower end of said plunger, and a separator-blade pivotally attached to said block.

11. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a spring-depressed plunger, a socket on the carrier in which said plunger is mounted and has a longitudinal play independent of the movement of the carrier, a block on the lower end of said plunger, a separator-blade pivotally attached to said block, and a spring applied to said blade to adapt it to yield independently of its spring-depressed plunger.

12. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a spring-depressed presser-bar and a carrier thereon, a rotatable cam-ring mounted on said carrier, a longitudinally-movable plunger carried by said carrier, a separator-blade carried by said plunger, and means to connect the plunger with the said cam-ring for raising the said separator-blade out of the work.

13. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser-bar, a carrier thereon, a rotary camring mounted on said carrier, a longitudinallymovable plunger connected with the carrier and having an offset arm provided with a roller in engagement with the cam-ring, and a separator-blade connected withsaid plunger.

14. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser bar, a carrier thereon, a plunger mounted in said carrier and movable longitudinally independently of said carrier, a block attached to said plunger at its lower end, and an auxiliary presser-foot and a separator-blade attached to said block side by side.

15. In a buttonhole sewing machine, a presser bar, a carrier thereon, a plunger mounted in said carrier and movable longitudinally independently of said carrier, a block attached to said plunger at its lower end, and an auxiliary presser-foot and a separator-blade pivoted to said block side by side, and each having a spring to admit of independent movements thereof apart from the movements of the plunger and the presser-carrier.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'set my hand this 1st day of December, A. D. 1903.

' DONALD NOBLE.

itnesses:

ABBIE M. DONIHEE, C. N. WORTHEN. 

